Device for supporting leather-frames and the like.



E. H. MERRILL.

DEVICE ron SUPPORTING LEATHER FRAMES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23- 19!]. 1,27 5,066.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD HARRINGTON MERRILL, OF PEABODY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNO R TO A. C.

LAWRENCE LEATHER COMPANY, OF PEABODY, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING LEATHER-FRAMES AND THE .LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

Application filed October 23, 1917. Serial No. 198,102.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD H. MERRILL, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Peabody, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Devices for Supporting Leather-Frames and the like, of which the following is a specification.

In manufacturing patent leather it is the practice to apply one or more coats of finishing material to suitably treat skins, sides and other forms of hides and to try each of the coatings separately. In order to keep the hides taut during this process and to render them convenient to handle, they are usually mounted in so-called leather frames.

The frames are usually built in rectangular form from four boards secured together in parallel relationship at the corners, the frames commonly being of the order of ten feet square. The hides are usually mounted in the frames by means of cords secured to the edge of the hide with toggles, clips or the like and radiating outwardly in all directions to the frame, where they are tacked or otherwise secured to the frame, the cords being sufiiciently tensioned tightly to stretch the hides. When the hides are thus stretched taut in the frames the finishing coats are applied and dried.

It has been found desirable to dry the aforesaid coatings in the sun, or at least outdoors, and it is therefore the practice to transport the frames outdoors after each coating to permit them"t0 sun for several hours. In order to support the frames while the leather is sunning it has been customary to rest one side of the frame on the ground and to lean the other side on a support about two feet high. When the frames are supported in this way they are frequently dislodged from the supports by the workmen, resulting in injury both to the frames and to the hides in the frames. However, the greatest difliculty with this method of support arises from winds. Owing to their lightness and to the extensive area afforded by the hides, the frames are readily blown about even by moderate winds, unless anchored in some manner.

The principal objects of the present invention, therefore, are ,to provide means, for

jects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of another embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of still another embodiment of the invention; I

Fig. 4- is a section on line H of'Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of still another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5; r

Fig. '7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is aside elevation of the embodiment of Figs. 5, 6, and 7, showing the preferred manner of supporting leather frames thereon; and

Fig. 9 is a side view ofa leather frame I resting on two supports.

In accordance with'one of the principal objects of the present invention '1 a i te with the leather frame support means for maintaining the frame in position upon-the support so that the frame may be moved into position upon the support or removed from the. support quickly and easily. This means comprises a detentionmember so disposed along the support that'a frame may be inserted between the member and the support, the detention member preferably bein position on the support 1, one side of the frame is passed between the lips 3 and 4: and.

thence passed into the space between one of the lips and the rest, the opposite side of the frame then being allowed to swing downwardly and: rest :upon the ground. When 1 the support is provided with opposed detaining lips, as illi'lstrated, a frame may be supported on either side of the support.

When leather frames are supported as described in connection with Fig. 1, I have found that, while the frames are satisfactorily maintained in place in calm weather, a moderately stiff wind will move the frame about to such extent that they will. work out from under the detaining lip and then be blown from the support. I therefore propose to slope the upper surfaces downwardly from the center as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 8 so that the frames will not work inwardly to such position that they can be lifted upwardly between the overhanging lips by the wind.

Another difliculty. which is met with in supporting leather frames and which is overcome by the present invention will be apparent by reference to Fig. 9 which shows a hide. H mounted in a frame F by means of cords 5. hen a frame is supported on a rest in an inclined position in the man ner described there is great danger of the hide catching beneath the outer end of the rest as the frame is moved inwardly preparatory to raising it between the opposed detaining lips. In order to overcome this difficulty I provide means at the outer end of the support to guide the hide or leather up over the'end of the support as the frame is being removed.

Referring now to the embodimentof my invention illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, 6 constitutes a supporting post, 7 an angleiron. horizontally mounted on the upper end of the post 6 by means'of a plug 17 fitting into the upper end of the hollow post 6, a rivet 8' passing through the post 6, angleiron and plug 7 straps 9 being provided to brace the angle-iron, a block 10 of wood or other suitable material, and the rest member 11 which is secured to the support by means of bolts 12 passing through the rest, block and angle-iron. The rest 11 is formed into the shape shown from a strap of iron, this shape affording sloping surfaces 13, lips 14 projecting outwardly and downwardly and lips 15 extending upwardly and inwardly. The overlapping portions of the lips 14 are preferably secured together by means of rivets 16.

The modified embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 5 to 9 comprises a post 18, which may be driven into the ground or otherwise supported, and an integral member 19 mounted upon the upper end of the post. The member 19 is provided with sloping upper surfaces 20 and lips 21 and 22 corresponding to the lips in Figs. 3 and 4 both in shape and function. The rest member 19 is fitted over-the post 18 and vertical ridges 22 are provided on the inside of the member 19 so as to cut into the post when the member is forced over the post, thereby preventing the rest member from turning on the post after being mounted thereon.

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate the preferred use of my improved devices, two posts being employed with each. pair of frames. The sloping upper surfaces of the rest member are preferably given substantially the same slant as that of the frames so that the frames rest squarely upon the support, but any degree of slant which will prevent the frames working inwardly is satisfactory for most purposes. In removing the frames from the support the hides slide upwardly over the inclined end surfaces and are thereby prevented from catching beneath the ends of the support.

I claim:

1. A device for supporting leather frames and the like comprising a horizontally disposed rest member, and lips overhanging each end of the rest member, whereby leather frames resting on opposite sides of said member are loosely retained in position by said lips so as to be readily removable.

2. A device for supporting leather frames and the like comprising a horizontally disposed rest member, and lips extending upwardly and inwardly from each end of the rest member so as to retain leather frames in position on opposite sides of the rest member, the inner ends of the lips being spaced apart so as to permit one side of a leather frame to pass therebetween.

3. A device for supporting leather frames and the like comprising a post, an elongate rest member horizontally disposed 011 the upper end of the post, and lips extending up wardly and inwardly from the ends of said member, whereby leatherframes resting on opposite sides of said member are loosely re tained in position by said lips.

A device for supporting leather frames and the like comprising a horizontally disposed restmember, the upper surface of said member sloping downwardly toward one side so that a leather frame resting on said member tends to slide down said sloping surface, and means for retaining the frame on said member.

5. A device for supporting leather frames and the like comprising a horizontally disposed rest member, the upper surface of said member sloping downwardly toward one side so that a leather frame resting on said member tends to slide down said sloping surface, and a lip projecting upwardly from the lower end of said member over said surface so as to retain the frame on said -member.

6. A device for supporting leather frames wardly from the center toward the outer ends, and lips projecting upwardly from the outer ends of said member and thence inwardly over said sloping surfaces.

7. A device for supporting leather frames and the like comprising a rest member having an upper supporting surface, means projecting upwardly from said member at the outer end of said surface for retaining a frame in position on the rest, and means extending below said surface at the outer end of the rest for preventing the leather in the leather frame from catching under the member when a frame is being removed from the rest.

8. A device for supporting leather frames and the like comprising a rest member having an upper supporting surface, means projecting upwardly from said member at the outer end of said surface for retaining a frame in position on the rest, and a depending lip projecting downwardly from the outer end of the rest for preventing the leather in the leather frame from catching under the member when a frame is being removed from the rest.

9. A device for supporting leather frames and the like comprising a rest member having an upper supporting surface, a lip extending upwardly from the outer end of said member for retaining a frame in position on the rest, and a lip extending downwardly from the outer end of said member for preventing the leather in the leather frame from catching under the member when the frame is being removed from the rest.

10. A device for supporting leather frames and the like comprising a rest member having an upper supporting surface, a lip extending upwardly and inwardly from the outer end of said member for retaining a frame in position on'the rest, and a lip extending downwardly and outwardly from the outer end of said member for preventing the leather in the leather frame from catching under the member when the frame is being removed from the rest.

11. A device for supporting leather frames and the like comprising an elongate rest member disposed horizontally, a lip extending upwardly and inwardly from each end of said member for retaining frames in position on opposite sidesof the rest, and a lip extending downwardly and outwardly from each end of said member for preventing the leather in the leather frame from catching under the member when the frame is being removed from the rest.

12. A device for supporting leather frames and the like comprising a vertically disposed post, an elongate rest member horizontally disposed on the end of the post, the upper surfaces of the rest member sloping downwardly from the post toward the ends of the member, a lip extending upwardly and inwardly from each end of said member for retaining frames in position on opposite sides of the rest, and a lip extending downwardlyand outwardly from each end of said member for preventing the leather in the leather frames from catching under the member when the frames are being removed from the rest.

[ Signed by me at Peabody, Mass, this 18th day of October, 1917.

EDWARD HARRINGTON MERRILL.

Copies of this patent, may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington; D. 0." 

